Trolley-line clamp.



G; N. ALLERDING.

TROLLEY LINE CLAMP.

APPLIGATION FILED DEG. 7, 1910.

1,049,189, Patented De.31,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

C. N. ALLERDING.

TROLLEY LINE CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 19l0.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 31, 1912.

Alf/1 j viuuiirnn srATns PAT/Enr ion.

CLE'lUS N. ALLERDING, 0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO BRASS COMPANY, OF lVIANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

TROLLEY-LINE CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31,1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLETUS N. ALLERDING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Line Clamps, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to trolley line clamps and has for its primary object to provide an improved construction, combination and arrangement of parts in a trol` ley line clamping device of positive action and adapted to be readily inserted into and removed from operative position.

Another object is to provide an improved device of this character having means whereby a strong clamping action may be secured with a small expenditure of energy.

Another object is to provide an improved suspension for the trolley line clamp which shall cooperate therewith to support the same in engagement with the trolley line while the clamp is being tightened on said trolley line. Y

Another object is to provide improved means for locking the clamping members together to prevent dis-association of the same.

Another object is to provide an improved trolley lclamp of this character having means for detachably and adjustably connecting the clamp to its support or hanger and also having swivel jaws whereby a perfect alinement with the trolley wire may be obtained when the parts are secured together.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification and be speciically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an im` proved clamping device constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 2, showing the parts in loosened position to free the trolley line. Fig. l is a top plan view of the assembled clamping jaws detached from the suspension means. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the clamping members through the axis of the pivotal connection therebetween. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the assembled jaws in clamping position, the trolley line being shown in section. Fig. 7 is an inside elevation of one of the duplicate clamping members. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the screw socket suspension. Fig. 9 is a detail section of the wedging collar. Fig. 92L is a sectional view of the jaws in clamping position. Fig. l0 is a transverse section of another embodiment. Fig. 11 is a similar section, showing the parts in loosened position. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the suspension device. Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a port-ion of the clamps gripping a trolley wire which is round in cross section.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to the embodiment of the invention shown therein, an insulator 1 of well known construction is rigidly secured to a stationary part 2 by means of stud bolts 3 for which purpose the insulator 1 is provided with a base ange l through which the bolts 3 extend.

Projecting from a mass of insulation 5 within the insulator 1, is a pin or stud 6 threaded upon its outer end 7 to receive a threaded socket 8. Said threaded socket 8 is best shown in Fig. 8, and comprises an upper cylindrical body 9 and a lower circular head l0 separated from the body 9 by a contracted neck portion 1l. l/Vithin the outer wall of the cylindrical portion 9 is a slot or recess 12, within which a lug or spline 13 formed o-n the inner cylindrical wall of a wedging collar 14 engages. Said wedging collar 14 is reciprocably mounted upon the cylindrical portion 9 of the screw threaded socket. The threaded stud 6 depending as it does from the support provided by the insulator l with the insulating material 5, together with the threaded socket 8, provides a suspension device for the trolley clamp now to be described.

As shown best in Figs. 4., 5, and 7, the trolley clamp comprises a pair of movably connected members 15 and 16, said members in the present embodiment being pivoted together preferably by making the members interchangeable and of the form shown in elevation in Fig. 7. Each of said members comprises a clamping jaw 17 and a power arm 18 flared outwardly to provide a wedging surface 19. On one end of said member is provided a pin or trunnion 20 while on the other end is provided a socket 21 for the reception of the pin 20 of the other clamping member. An inclined reinforcing rib 22 extends from the pin 20 to the wall of the socket 21 in the manner shown in Fig. 7 and adjacent one end is provided with an interlocking projection or lug 23, the lug 23 of each clamping member being adapted when the clamping members are assembled, that with a slight displacement will engage with a lug or shoulder 211 of the other clamping member'. The ribs being inclined will cross each other when the parts are assembled and will form the bottom o-f the recess in which the swivel head enters. Each of the clamping members is provided with a recess or hollow 25 immediately above the strengthening rib 22. Then the clamping members are assembled the recesses 25 regis- -ter and are adapted to receive the head 10 of the threaded socket 8. In order to provide means for supporting the clamping members from the head 1.0, an annular collar 26 is provided on each power arm to fit around the contracted portion 11 of the threaded socket 8. 1t will be seen from the description that the collar 14 is reciprocably mounted upon the socket 3 and is provided below with a wedging surface 27 which slidably engages the wedging surface 19 of the power arms of both clamping members.

For convenience in handling, the clamp ing members 15 and 16 are usually assembled about the head 10 of t-he threaded socket 8 with the collar 14; locked in position on the socket 8, as shown best in Fig. 2. In order to maintain the parts in this assembled position, each of the lugs 23 may be displaced. into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, in which posit-ion it will interlock with the shoulder or lug 24 of the other clamping member. For this purpose the clamping members may be made of malleable metal.

Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the fixed support comprising the insulating shell 28, insulation 29 and threaded pin 30 embedded in said insulation is constructed exactly similar to that shown and described in the former embodiment. The threaded socket 31 in this embodiment, however, is provided with an exterior thread 32 and a hexagonal flange 33 whereby it may be rotated upon the stud 30. rThe wedging collar 34; of this embodiment is provided with internal threads engaging the threads 32 on the socket member 31. rthe wedging collar 34 is also provided with a hexagonal flange 35 whereby it may be rotated upon the threaded socket 31. By means of this construction it will be evident that the threaded socket 31 having been screwed up against the insulator, the clamping members 15 and 16 may be moved into clamping engagement with the trolley line 36 by rotating the wedging collar 34 upon the socket 31 and thereby causing the wedging surface 27 to force the outer arms 19 apart. lVhen on the other hand it is desired to release the conductor 36, the wet ging collar 34 may be moved in the opposite direction into the position shown in Fig. 11.

In Fig. 13 the extremitiesla, 16, of the clamping members 15, 16, are of a slightly different shape so as to receive and grip a conductor 36EL which is round in cross section. Inasmuch as the wedging collar 111 is connected with the cylindrical portion 9 by means of the lugs or splines 13 projecting into the slots or recesses 12, a rotation of the collar will cause the threaded cylindrical portion 9 to screw on to the threaded extremity 7 of the pin or stud 6. This movementl will also adjust the clamping members 15, 16, with relation to the stud. rlhis adjustment will cause portions of the clamping members 15, 16, to engage the wedging surface 27 and the upper surface of the collar 141 to abut the insulator 1, thereby arresting the adjustment of the collar 14tlongitudinally with respect to the stud. A fun ther rotation of the collar 14: will then cause the adjacent portions of the clamping members 15, 16, to move over the wedging sur face 27 to effect a spreading action of the members 15, 16, thereby causing the latter to grip the wire.

`What is claimed as new is 1. In a trolley wire clamp, the combination of a pair of complementary clamping members provided with registering recesses, each of said members having a projection and a socket, the projection of one member entering the socket of the other member for connecting the members together for pivotal movement with respect to each other, there being a shoulder formed at the inner end of each projection and there being a projection formed on the inner face of each member adjacent the inner end of the respective sockets, said projections and shoulders being entirely housed between the clamping members, the projection on each member being adapted to be deflected behind the respective shoulder on the other member to lock the parts together, a support provided with a swivel head engaging in said recess, and a wedge portion on said support adapted to project between portions of the clamping members to impart clamping action to said members.

2. In a trolley wire clamp, the combination of a pair of complementary members, each being shaped to form a lug at one end and a recess at the other end, the lug on one end of each of the members entering the respective recess in the other member, the inner face of each member between the lug and recess being hollowed out to form a rib extending between the lug and recess and to form a shoulder at the inner end of the lug,

a portion of the rib of one member being deflectable behind the shoulder on the other member to lock the parts, said members being also provided with coperating ears having portions coperating with the ribs to form a recess, a swivel head engaging in the said recess, and a wedge portion on the head adapted to project between t-he said ears to impart a clamping action to the said members.

3. In a trolley wire clamp, the combination of a pair of complementary members, each being shaped to form a lug at one end and a recess one end of each of the members entering the respective recess in the other member, the inner face of each member between the lug and recess being hollowed out to form a rib extending between the lug and recess and to form a shoulder at the inner end of the lug, said ribs being inclined so that when the Cop'i'es of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the at the other end, the lug on` members are assembled the ribs will cross each other and form the bottom of the said recess, a portion of the rib of one member being detlectable behind the shoulder on the other member to lock the part-s, said members being also provided with coperating ears having portions coperating with the ribs to form a recess, a swivel head engaging in the said recess, and a wedge portion on the head adapted to project between the said ears to impart a clamping action to the said members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 30 November A. D. 1910.

GLETUS N. ALLERDING.

Witnesses:

J. C. PAINTER, C. MARKS.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. R

day of 

